Can Plymouth City Council pay towards a nursing home place?

It can, provided a care needs assessment has confirmed that nursing care in a registered home is the right way to meet the person's needs. A financial assessment then examines income and capital and sets the council contribution towards the weekly fee. Separately, the health service pays a contribution towards registered nursing care directly to the home. If a family prefers a home costing more than the council rate, someone else may be asked to meet the difference.

How is a care needs assessment arranged in Plymouth?

Contact the adult social care team at Plymouth City Council and ask for an assessment of care and support needs. Anyone can make the request, including a relative, a GP or a hospital discharge team, and the assessment is free. A practitioner will look at daily living, mobility, medication and the clinical care required, then set out which needs are eligible for support. The financial assessment is a separate step that decides contributions.

How early should a family start looking at nursing homes?

Begin as soon as nursing care starts to look likely rather than waiting for a ward to press for a decision. A few weeks allows time to visit twice, read the inspection reports and get funding questions answered. If discharge is imminent, ask whether an interim placement is possible so the permanent choice is not made under pressure. Notes from early visits stay useful even when the move happens months later.

Which providers in Plymouth offer nursing care?

Twenty providers registered for nursing care are listed on this page, each with a profile of its own. They include Hartley Park Care Home, Parkwood House, Consort House Nursing Home and Cann House Care Home, along with the rest of the list. Every profile shows the current Care Quality Commission position and links through to the published report. Comparing them together is the quickest way to see which homes suit the care required.

What should be asked when visiting a nursing home in Plymouth?

Start with staffing, asking how many registered nurses and carers are on duty overnight and how often agency workers are used. Ask how care plans are written and reviewed, and how quickly families hear about a fall, an infection or a change in medication. Ask what training staff have in dementia care and in supporting someone at the end of life. Practical questions about visiting, belongings and laundry are worth putting to every home.

What is the difference between a care home and a nursing home?

A care home provides a room, meals and help with personal care such as washing, dressing and prompting medication. A nursing home offers the same and also has registered nurses on duty at all times, so wound care, injections and complex medication are managed on site. All the providers on this page hold nursing registration. Where needs are mainly social rather than clinical, a residential placement is often more suitable and usually costs less.

Nursing Homes in Plymouth

Plymouth has 20 CQC registered nursing homes. 15 are rated Good, 2 Outstanding, 3 Requires improvement. 15 of the 20 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

Plymouth at a glance

What the numbers say about care for older people in Plymouth.

Plymouth City Council pays, residential care: £979 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,400 to £1,650, median £1,549
Care home beds filled across Plymouth: 92%. The 12 month average is 93%.
Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 79
People aged 75 and over: 26,600. Rising to 31,000 by 2035, up 16%
Care homes, last 12 months: 0 opened, 0 closed. 6 changed owner, covering 172 beds.
Who pays, across Plymouth (estimate): 44% council, 29% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 3,500. Rising to 4,300 by 2035, up 23%
People aged 85 and over: 7,000. Rising to 10,200 by 2035, up 46%

Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.

Planning and Paying for Nursing Care in Plymouth

Eligibility and budget together decide which homes are realistic, so both are worth settling before visits begin. The assessment establishes what care is needed and the financial assessment establishes who pays for it.

The care needs assessment

Anyone who appears to need care and support can ask for an assessment, and a relative, a GP or a hospital discharge team may request one on their behalf. There is no charge, whatever the household income. Plymouth City Council Adult Social Care carries out that assessment and the financial assessment that follows, the second of which decides how much of the fee the council meets and how much the resident pays. Families intending to fund privately still benefit from having eligible needs recorded.

Where the money comes from

A nursing placement rarely draws on one source alone. A contribution towards care delivered by a registered nurse is paid by the health service directly to the home. Where someone's main need is a health need rather than a social one, a separate assessment can result in the entire package being funded through the health service. Anything not covered by either route is divided between the council and the resident according to the financial assessment.

Reading the fee schedule

Ask every home for its fees in writing rather than accepting a figure on the telephone, and check what sits outside the weekly charge, such as hairdressing, chiropody or escorted appointments. Ask how often fees are reviewed and how much notice precedes an increase. Ask what happens to the room during a hospital stay and what the home does when private savings fall to the level where council support begins.

Choosing a Nursing Home in Plymouth and What to Check

Looking behind the ratings

Hartley Park Care Home and Parkwood House hold the two Outstanding ratings here, fifteen homes are rated Good and three are rated Requires Improvement. A rating summarises one inspection on one date, so open the report, check when inspectors visited and see which of the five key questions were marked down. A home rated Requires Improvement is not ruled out by that alone, though the manager should be able to say precisely what has changed.

Questions about clinical care

Ask how many registered nurses are on duty by day and at night, how much agency cover is used and how long the current manager has been in post. Ask what the home is experienced in handling, from pressure care and diabetes to catheter care and support at the end of life. Ask what would happen if a resident's health declined and whether they could remain.

What to notice on a visit

Visit when the home is busy rather than at a quiet hour. Watch how staff greet residents who are not expecting a visitor, whether people are occupied and how promptly call bells are answered. Ask to see a room that is genuinely available, and stay for a meal if the timing allows, because mealtimes show how staffing works in practice.

20 nursing homes in Plymouth

Butterfly Lodge · Agaton Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL5 2EW
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Camelot Care (Plymouth) Limited
Butterfly Lodge is a nursing home in Plymouth. We provide nursing care for older people and younger adults, including people living with dementia or with mental ill health and people with a physical disability, and we offer respite stays....
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Cann House Care Home · Cann House, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL5 4LE
Nursing home · CQC Requires improvement · Nursing on site · Run by Premiere Health Limited
We at Cann House Care Home offer dedicated nursing care in a welcoming residential setting in Plymouth, providing a supportive home for older people and adults with a range of complex needs across the South West. Nestled within the PL...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Consort House Nursing Home · 35 Consort Close, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL3 5TX
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Xcel Care Homes Ltd
Here at Consort House Nursing Home, we provide specialist nursing and personal care for older adults in the heart of Plymouth. We are proud to have received a "Good" rating from the Care Quality Commission, which reflects the genuine...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Down House · 277 Tavistock Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL6 8AA
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Down House Limited
We at Down House are proud to offer compassionate nursing home care in the heart of Plymouth, providing a welcoming and supportive environment for adults with a wide range of needs. Our home has been thoughtfully designed to feel less like...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Drake Nursing Home · 4 Nelson Gardens, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL1 5RH
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Darbyshire Care Limited
Drake Nursing Home is a nursing home in Plymouth. Registered nurses are part of our team at all hours, alongside care staff who come to know each person here very well. We support older adults and younger adults, including people living...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Elburton Heights · 33 Springfield Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL9 8EJ
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Harbour Healthcare Ltd
Elburton Heights is a nursing home in Plymouth. We care for older people and younger adults whose needs include nursing, including many living with dementia, people managing mental health conditions and people with physical disabilities....
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Ernstell House · 20 Ernesettle Lane, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL5 2EY
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Amica Care (Plymouth) Ltd
Ernstell House is a nursing home in Plymouth. We provide nursing care for older people and younger adults, and we support people living with dementia, people with a physical disability, people with a visual or hearing impairment and people...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Furzehatt Residential and Nursing Home · 59 Furzehatt Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL9 8QX
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Sanctuary Care Limited
Furzehatt Residential and Nursing Home is in Plymouth. We provide both residential and nursing care, which means we can support older people and younger adults whose needs change over time without them having to move somewhere new each...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Hamilton House · 21-23, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 6HG
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Darbyshire Care Limited
We are Hamilton House, a nursing home in Plymouth. We care for older people and younger adults who need qualified nursing alongside support with daily living, including people living with dementia and people living with mental health...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Hartley Park Care Home · Hartley Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL3 5LW
Nursing home · Care home · CQC Outstanding · Nursing on site · Run by Abholly (2008) Limited
Here at Hartley Park Care Home, we are proud to offer a warm and genuinely caring environment in the heart of Plymouth, where residents are treated as individuals and supported to live with comfort and dignity. We provide nursing home care...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Honeybourne House · 98 Sheridan Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL5 3HA
Nursing home · Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Nursing on site · Run by Honeybourne House Ltd
We at Honeybourne House are proud to offer residential care in the heart of Plymouth, providing a welcoming home for adults who need support with day to day living. Our residential care home in the PL area of Plymouth combines comfortable...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Meadowside and St. Francis · 5 Plymbridge Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL7 4LE
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by AJ & Co.(Devon) Ltd
Meadowside and St Francis is a nursing home in Plymouth, caring for people whose health needs require nursing support alongside help with everyday life. Having qualified nurses on the team means we can look after residents whose needs...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Merafield View Nursing Home · Underlane, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL7 1ZB
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by AJ & Co.(Devon) Ltd
Merafield View Nursing Home is a nursing home in Plymouth. We care for older people whose health needs mean qualified nurses should be close at hand, and we also support people with physical disabilities, people with a visual or hearing...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Nazareth House · Durnford Street, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL1 3QR
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Nazareth Care Charitable Trust
Nazareth House in Plymouth is a nursing home caring for adults who need qualified nursing support alongside help with everyday living. Registered nurses are on duty at all hours, which means clinical care can happen here, in familiar...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Parkwood House · 72-74 Exmouth Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL1 4QJ
Nursing home · CQC Outstanding · Nursing on site · Run by Southern Healthcare (Wessex) Ltd
Here at Parkwood House, we are a nursing home based in Plymouth, and we are proud to be rated **Outstanding** by the Care Quality Commission. That rating means a great deal to us, not because of what it says on paper, but because it...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Seymour Court Nursing and Care Home · Glen Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL3 5AP
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Seymour Court Care Limited
Seymour Court Nursing and Care Home is in Plymouth, and we care for older people and younger adults who need qualified nursing support, including people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities and people with a visual or...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
St James's Lodge · 74 Molesworth Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL1 5PF
Nursing home · CQC Requires improvement · Nursing on site · Run by St. James's Lodge Healthcare Ltd
We are a nursing home in Plymouth, caring for people whose needs require qualified nursing alongside help with daily living. We look after older people and younger adults, including those living with dementia, adults with learning...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Torr Home · The Drive, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL3 5SY
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Torr Home
Torr Home is a nursing home in Plymouth. We care for older people and younger adults who need nursing support, including people living with dementia, people managing mental health conditions and people living with sight or hearing loss....
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Waters Park House · Exmouth Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL1 4QQ
Nursing home · Care home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Waters Park House Limited
We at Waters Park House are proud to offer compassionate residential care in the welcoming community of Plymouth. As a trusted care home in the South West, we provide a nurturing environment where residents can feel truly at home,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Woodland Villa Care Home · 91-95 Alma Road, Plymouth, Plymouth, PL3 4HE
Nursing home · CQC Good · Nursing on site · Run by Denmax Limited
Woodland Villa Care Home is a nursing home in Plymouth. We care for older people who need the attention of qualified nurses alongside help with the ordinary business of the day, and for people whose physical disability means they need...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Respite Care

What care costs in Plymouth, per week

Type of care	What the council pays	What self-funders are typically asked
Residential care South West figure, because too few Plymouth homes publish this price. 52 homes. Median £1,549.	£979	£1,400 to £1,650
Nursing care South West figure, because too few Plymouth homes publish this price. 16 homes. Median £1,810.	£1,052	£1,599 to £1,983
Residential dementia care South West figure, because too few Plymouth homes publish this price. 19 homes. Median £1,665.	Not published separately	£1,450 to £1,813
Nursing dementia care England figure, because too few Plymouth homes publish this price. 75 homes. Median £2,050.	Not published separately	£1,890 to £2,221

Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price. Powered by Orrery Intelligence.

Inspected most recently

St James's Lodge, 3 August 2026, Requires improvement
Waters Park House, 23 June 2026, Good
Cann House Care Home, 10 April 2025, Requires improvement

Longest since a report

Parkwood House, 1 November 2018, Outstanding
Nazareth House - Plymouth, 9 February 2019, Good
Meadowside and St. Francis, 16 April 2019, Good

Frequently asked questions about nursing homes in Plymouth

How many nursing homes are there in Plymouth?

Plymouth has 20 CQC registered nursing homes: 2 Outstanding, 15 Good, 3 Requires improvement. Counts come from the CQC register and are kept up to date as ratings change.

How much does a nursing home cost in Plymouth?

Plymouth City Council pays an average of £979 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,400 to £1,650 a week. South West figure, because too few Plymouth homes publish this price. 52 homes. Median £1,549. Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price.

Which nursing homes in Plymouth were inspected most recently?

St James's Lodge (3 August 2026), Waters Park House (23 June 2026) and Cann House Care Home (10 April 2025) have the most recent CQC reports.